Lillie (1760-1827), the most prominent furniture designer in Denmark during the late 18th and early 19th century, was appointed to the newly-created post of Architect and Designer to the Danish Court in November 1790. The tops of the pair seem likely to be the work of Giuseppe Canart (d. 1791), a Roman craftsman whose commissions were predominantly in Naples.
The tops incorporate sections of specimen marble, primarily of volcanic stones, inside a complex interlaced framework of interlocking rings.
Many of Lillie's pieces were executed for the Danish Royal court. Given the precious nature of the tops and his impressive record of patrons it sees likely that these tables formed part of a Royal or aristocratic commission.
The English style is very pronounced in Lillie's work, alluding to the furniture designs of Hepplewhite and Sheraton although, like most of his contemporaries, Lillie was mainly indebted to the greatest talent in England at the time, Robert Adam.
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